Editor's note:

Urban youth mostly consider "Singles' Day" to be an entertaining topic of mockery. Yet in rural areas, those single men who are above the average marriage age are truly vexed about their love lives. The imbalanced gender ratio, financially demanding brides, inadequate education levels as well as economic pressure have put them in an unfavorable position to get married.

Wan'an Town is an ordinary small town in north China's Shanxi Province. Most of its young people leave the area for work in the cities. They grasp the opportunity of the Spring Festival to arrange blind dates. In order to get married, men have to spend about 120,000 to 200,000 yuan (US$20,000-33,000), plus get a house of their own in the county town.

China.org.cn takes a look at five different love accounts as given by the local single men themselves. Although they may have different reasons for being single, they face the same trials and tribulations of finding a partner. In many villages, one's family income will determine his marital status.

41-year-old Da Liu (Big Liu) lives with his mother. His home is a one-storey house with five rooms and a courtyard. Yellow mud and hay are pasted on the walls. Liu is the youngest of five. All his brothers and sisters are married. The betrothal gifts for the sisters, given to them by their husbands-to-be, were passed on to his brothers for marrying their wives in turn. Unfortunately, by the time it's Liu's turn, the money had run out. [Sina photo]

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